


Changed Code

by SHOOT050313



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Author does not know how to summarize accurately, F/F, Implied Relationships, People Change People, Root makes Shaw smile and that's it, summary sounds cooler than the plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:34:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26108785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHOOT050313/pseuds/SHOOT050313
Summary: John knew three things about Sameen Shaw:1- the best way to apologize is with steak2- she was going to be a doctor one day3- She never smilesMaybe the last thing isn't as true as he thought- or maybe something else has changed as well.
Relationships: John Reese & Sameen Shaw, Root | Samantha Groves/Sameen Shaw
Comments: 2
Kudos: 84
Collections: One Shots





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**Author's Note:**

> Seeing my username every time I go on here has finally made me post something to this ship...

She never smiled- it was one of the admittedly few things John and Harold knew for certain about Sameen Shaw. Even after the few years of friendship, they only knew she when was happy by the lack of annoyance across her features. 

John remembered meeting the summer before Sophomore year, Shaw almost ran him over with her motorcycle and when John accepted her terrible attempt at an apology they quickly became friends. Or as Shaw says "acquaintances". They were known around town as the 'mayhem twins', mainly because if one of them got into trouble the other would be nearby if not involved.

Once school started up again John introduced her to Harold and despite some initial tensions they got along pretty well and were almost always seen all together. But even on the days when it was just them- running off into town and messing with people- Sameen never really showed her emotions on her face. John's seen her fake a smile, even seen her flirt her way out of potentially sticky situations, but he's never seen a smile reach beyond the edges of her lips, the sparkle in her eyes was never more than a ploy to get away with what she wanted. 

John knew he was getting good at understanding and decoding Sameen's facial expressions, but the one she was wearing now was one John had never seen before- and it was starting to freak him out.

Harold's father always brought him to the country for the summer and this past summer John was invited. Though he didn't want to leave Sameen, she assured him she wouldn't get into too much trouble while they were gone. So he left, but he returned at the beginning of August to a Sameen he didn't recognize. 

_The good news?_ John knew who was to blame. 

Her name was Root, at least that's what Sameen calls her. She stood as tall as John, her long hair almost always resting on Sameen's shoulder, even when her head wasn't. Apparently she moved in next door, immediately deciding Sameen was her new best friend and from that moment on John never saw either without the other. When Harold came back the week before their senior year started he noticed the difference too.

Root easily slid herself into Sameen's life, she never left her side - except when they had different classes- and even when Sameen clearly wanted to be left alone Root was always welcome to be in her personal space. _Welcome_ wasn't the right word, but she was definitely allowed. Shaw might be angry with the world, but it was never directed at the new girl, she would snap at Root and complain but she would never deny her the self-designated place Root had claimed beside her. 

But that still wasn't the weirdest part.

During Thanksgiving break, the four of them decided to picnic in the woods behind John's house. That was when Harold pointed it out. That was when John saw the hints of a smile creep their way toward's Shaw's eyes. Only a hint of a smile- not even close to the one currently giving John a headache- but as close to one as Shaw had ever been.

And nothing was really going on. The four of them were laying out on Harold's blanket, looking up at the sky as the sunset somewhere behind the treeline. John was enjoying the birds finding their way home, thinking about how lucky they were to know where they were needed. But when Harold caused his attention to shift John was incredibly unsure of what prompted Shaw's face. 

Because Root was just laying there, her head on Shaw's chest and her arms making wild movements in the air above them as she spoke about computers... _and god?_

As far as John was aware, nothing was out of the ordinary and nothing that Root was saying should have caused her to make that expression. Her eyes were beginning to crinkle and it seemed as though she was about to smile- but she was still annoyed. John felt like he was back at square one of trying to understand Shaw's facial expressions. He could have sworn she was happy, but the perpetual annoyance at the world didn't seem to have gone away- in fact, it had seemed concentrated at that moment. 

It was focused at Root. Shaw's eyes never left the brunette, watching every movement and exaggerated expression on her face as she spoke. But despite the anger John could clearly read, Shaw just observed, not moving until Root sat up when they decided to go home. 

But now- Shaw had an actual smile on her face. This time there was no annoyance, no anger behind it, just something that John thought would pass for happiness.

She was smiling and the only person around to witness it was John- and Root, but she wasn't even looking. Root was again monologuing, discussing something about shapes when John burst into the room. He stopped short when he saw the two girls, Root laying entirely atop Shaw, Shaw's chin creating a soft divot on the other's forehead. 

He came there in a bit of a crisis, but all that stopped when he caught a glimpse of Shaw's face. John knew he should probably just leave, let them continue whatever this was and have his crisis by himself, but he didn't leave. Shaw's eyes were stuck to Root's face, but Root was now staring directly at John. She was obviously sizing him up, but for why John didn't know. Maybe she wanted to know why he'd come, maybe she already knew and was wondering if he would stay and dump his drama on both of them, maybe she was debating leaving so he could talk to Shaw in private.

His mind came to a halt when Shaw spoke, "Is there something you need John?" His eyes snapped to hers, her face carefully neutral, smile gone, but the usual annoyance wasn't present either.

"Umm... it's okay. I can come back later." He quickly backtracked out of the room, again surprised at how quickly the smile returned to Shaw's face as Root began speaking again, this time rolling over in Shaw's lap to face her.

John wasn't sure what it was about Root that allowed Shaw to smile like that, but he promised to do his best to protect whatever it was. And if in time Shaw began smiling at him too, that was just a plus.


End file.
